NRC: Security violation at Palisades

NEAR COVERT, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - An investigation finds a Palisades security supervisor violated the plant's security plan during an incident in 2012.

A report on the incident was just released Tuesday.

In the report they found that a security operations supervisor "willfully violated" qualification requirements and the plant's security plan in an incident on Christmas Eve in 2012.

The order stems from a settlement that was reached under the NRC's alternative dispute resolution process, which was requested by plant-owner Entergy.

The violation occurred when a security manager assigned a security supervisor to perform security duties without verifying the supervisor's qualifications.

The supervisor also failed to ensure he was qualified to perform his assigned security duties.

The NRC evaluated the security significance of the matter and determined it was of very low significance.

In a statement released by the NRC, they explained the investigation process, saying "using the ADR process allowed us to achieve not only compliance with NRC requirements, but a wide range of corrective actions that go beyond those the agency may get through the traditional enforcement process."

Palisades will now have to ensure proper verification of training credentials for staff and management across the Entergy fleet.

They will also be required to take a wide range of actions to strengthen the safety culture there and will have to make presentations on the event to the reactor community.